Sabreen ( ar, صابرين); is a pioneer

Palestinian Palestinians ( ar, الفلسطينيون, ; he, פָלַסְטִינִים, ) or Palestinian people ( ar, الشعب الفلسطيني, label=none, ), also referred to as Palestinian Arabs ( ar, الفلسطينيين العرب, label=non ...

Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...

musical group. Based in East Jerusalem, Sabreen was founded in 1980 by Said Murad. Their vision focused on the development of the Palestinian modern song, reflecting the humanitarian and cultural reality in general, and the suffering endured from the political situation in particular. Sabreen's members have changed over the years, the most notable members were Said Murad,

Kamilya Jubran Kamilya Jubran is a Palestinian singer, songwriter, and musician. Early life Kamilya Jubran was born in Acre (Akka) in 1962 to Palestinian parents. Her father Elias is a music teacher and maker of traditional Palestinian instruments such as the ou ...

, Odeh Tourjman, Issa Freij, Yacoub Abu Arafeh, Issam Murad, Samer Mussallem, and Wissam Murad. Said Murad is the composer and arranger of the music, and Kamilya Jubran was the lead vocalist on four albums out of the five studio albums released. In 1987, the Sabreen Association for Artistic Development was established as a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

, community-based organization specializing in the promotion of music in Palestine and combining it with different artistic expressions and forms.

Etymology

The group's name is the Arabic adjective meaning "the patient ones", "people who are patient", or "those awaiting".

Music

During the 1970s there were two types of bands: westernized bands that played western instruments and eastern bands that played eastern instruments. Sabreen presented a mix that merged the gaps between the two styles blending elements of traditional Arab and Eastern music with international influences from Indian music to African music to American jazz and blues. Sabreen helped introduce a trend of committed music, or "Multazimeh", which was gaining popularity in Egypt with

Sheikh Imam Imam Mohammad Ahmad Eissa ( ar, إمام محمد أحمد عيسى) or Sheikh Imam ( ar, الشيخ إمام) (July 2, 1918 – June 6, 1995 ) was a famous Egyptian composer and singer. For most of his life, he formed a duo with the famous Egypt ...

and

Ahmed Fouad Negm Ahmed Fouad Negm ( ar, أحمد فؤاد نجم, ; 22 May 1929 – 3 December 2013), popularly known as el-Fagommi الفاجومي (), was an Egyptians, Egyptian vernacular poetry, poet. Negm is well known for his work with Egyptian composer Shei ...

, and in Lebanon with

Marcel Khalife Marcel Khalifé ( ar, مرسيل خليفة; born 10 June 1950 in Amchit) is a Palestinian- Lebanese musical composer, singer, and oud player. Biography In 1983, Paredon Records (later acquired by Smithsonian Folkways) released ''Promises ...

and

Ziad Rahbani Ziad Rahbani ( ar, زياد الرحباني, born 1956) is a Lebanese composer, pianist, playwright, and political commentator. He is the son of Fairouz, one of Lebanon and the Arab world's most famous singers, and Assi Rahbani, one of the found ...

. The music's soundscape incorporated Eastern instruments like the

oud , image=File:oud2.jpg , image_capt=Syrian oud made by Abdo Nahat in 1921 , background= , classification= * String instruments *Necked bowl lutes , hornbostel_sachs=321.321-6 , hornbostel_sachs_desc=Composite chordophone sounded with a plectrum , ...

, kawal,

buzuq The ''buzuq'' ( ar, ; also transliterated ''bozuq'', ''bouzouk'', buzuk etc.) is a long-necked fretted lute related to the Greek bouzouki and Turkish saz. It is an essential instrument in the Rahbani repertoire, but it is not classified a ...

, and qanun, while also incorporating Western instruments such as the guitar, violin, cello, and double bass. The lyrics of Sabreen's songs are mostly by renowned poets such as

Mahmoud Darwish Mahmoud Darwish ( ar, محمود درويش, Maḥmūd Darwīsh, 13 March 1941 – 9 August 2008) was a Palestinian poet and author who was regarded as the Palestinian national poet. He won numerous awards for his works. Darwish used Palestine ...

Samih al-Qasim Samīħ al-Qāsim al Kaissy ( ar, سميح القاسم; he, סמיח אל קאסם; 1939 – August 19, 2014) was a Palestinian people, Palestinian Druze poet Arab citizens of Israel, with Israeli citizenship whose work is well known throughout ...

, Hussein Barghouti, and Fadwa Touqan. The group has released four albums with the lead singer Kamilya Jubran, and another one after she left the group. Each album was released at an important political juncture. The first one "Dukhan al-Barakin" (Smoke of Volcanoes) was released in the early 1980s coinciding with the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the

Sabra and Shatila The Sabra and Shatila massacre (also known as the Sabra and Chatila massacre) was the killing of between 460 and 3,500 civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites, by the militia of the Lebanese Forces, a Maronite Christian Lebanese ...

massacres. The songs included poems by Palestinian poets including

and

, and style was rooted in folklore. Their second album "Mawt al-Nabi" (Death of the Prophet) was made during a particularly introspective period before the

First Intifada The First Intifada, or First Palestinian Intifada (also known simply as the intifada or intifadah),The word ''intifada'' () is an Arabic word meaning "uprising". Its strict Arabic transliteration is '. was a sustained series of Palestinian ...

, focusing on everyday life under Israeli occupation. This album was an act of resistance with a clear-cut message. "Jayy al-Hamam" (Here Come the Doves), was released next in 1994, was upbeat, in keeping with the hope fostered by the

Oslo Accords The Oslo Accords are a pair of agreements between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO): the Oslo I Accord, signed in Washington, D.C., in 1993;

. The fourth CD, "Ala Fein" (Where to?) released in 2000, uses poems by Talal Haydar, Sayyed Hegab and the Fadwa Tuqan (Palestine), conveying a sense of deep nostalgia and despair. In 2002,

left the band and moved to France to pursue a solo career. Sabreen released another album titled ''Maz'ooj'' which saw a departure from the band's sound. The electro-infused album included lyrics by Said Murad and vocals by Palestinian actor

Mohammad Bakri Mohammad Bakri (born 1953; ar, محمد بكري, he, מוחמד בכרי) is a Palestinian actor and film director.NGO A non-governmental organization (NGO) or non-governmental organisation (see spelling differences) is an organization that generally is formed independent from government. They are typically nonprofit entities, and many of them are active in h ...

with the goal of developing music in Palestine. Sabreen plays the role of a music resource organization organizing summer camps, workshops, festivals, and training many Palestinian musicians. The Sabreen offices and recording studio are based in

Sheikh Jarrah Sheikh Jarrah ( ar, الشيخ جراح, he, שייח' ג'ראח) is a predominantly Palestinian neighborhood in East Jerusalem, north of the Old City, on the road to Mount Scopus. It received its name from the 13th-century tomb of Sheikh Ja ...

, East Jerusalem. It has served as an important cultural organization and taken on many important projects. Under an agreement with the Palestinian Ministry of Education, Sabreen has introduced a music curriculum into Palestinian schools. Countless artists have passed through Sabreen Studios in Jerusalem whether through productions, workshops, and programs including

Tamer Nafar Tamer Nafar ( ar, تامر النفار, he, תאמר נפאר; born June 6, 1979) is an Israeli rapper, actor, screenwriter and social activist who identifies as Palestinian. He is the leader and a founding member of DAM, the first Palestini ...

, Hatari,

Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...

Bashar Murad Bashar Murad (Arabic: بشار مراد; born 7 February 1993) is a Palestinian singer-songwriter and video artist based in East Jerusalem. His music addresses societal norms, the Israeli Occupation, and gender equality in the Middle East. He is ...

, Apo and The Apostles,

Shadia Mansour Shadia Mansour ( ar, شادية منصور , born 1985), also known as "the first lady of Arabic hip hop" See also is a British-Palestinian rapper who performs in Arabic and English. Much of her music revolves around Middle Eastern politics ...

Le Trio Joubran Le Trio Joubran ( ar, الثلاثي جبران) is an oud trio playing traditional Palestinian music. The trio consists of the brothers Samir, Wissam, and Adnan Joubran, originally from the city of Nazareth, now dividing their time between ...

, Reem Talhami, and more. In 2007, Sabreen launched the "Palestinian Eurovision" in partnership with The

Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation The Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC; ar, هيئة الإذاعة والتلفزيون الفلسطينية, Hayʾat al-ʾIḏāʿa wa-t-Tilifizyūn al-Filasṭīniyya) or Palestine Public Broadcasting Corporation ( ), also known as Pal ...

and

Superflex Superflex is a Danish artist group founded in 1993 by Jakob Fenger, Rasmus Nielsen and Bjørnstjerne Christiansen. Superflex describe their projects as ''Tools'', as proposals that invite people to participate in and communicate the development o ...

. This initiative aimed to enter Palestine into the

Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), sometimes abbreviated to ESC and often known simply as Eurovision, is an international songwriting competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), featuring participants representing pr ...

Main Members

* Said Murad: Composer & Arranger, Oud, Percussion, Kawal, Rababa, Lyrics (Maz’ouj) *

: Vocals, Qanoon, Buzuq, Percussions * Odeh Tourjam: Vocals, Contrabass, * Issa Freij: Guitar, Contrabass * Jamal Mughrabi: Buzuq * Yacoub Abu Arafeh: Percussion * Issam Murad: Drums, Sound Engineer * Samer Musalem: Backing Vocals * Wissam Murad: Vocals, Oud, Percussion, Oud, Keyboard

Other Members

* Nell Catchpole: Violin * Chris Smith: Acoustic Guitar, Saxophone * Sarah Murcia: Contrebass * Matt Sharp: Cello * Valerie Pearson: Violin * Samer Khoury: Tambourine * Sherly Smart: Cello

Discography

* "Smoke of the Volcanoes" - 1984 * "Death of the Prophet" - 1987 * "Here Come The Doves" - 1994 * "Ala Fein?" (Where To?) - 2000 * "Maz'ooj" - 2002

Usage in media

A version of the song "On Man" was featured in the 2009 documentary film ''Checkpoint Rock: Canciones desde Palestina'' (Songs from Palestine).

References

External links

Official Youtube PageSabreen - The Official Facebook PageSabreen Jerusalem - Official Instagram Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jubran, Kamilya Oud players Palestinian musicians Palestinian singers